Sylvia Pellekooren has a combined position at both Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences and Health Sciences and shares her experiences with the UTP at the Centre for Teaching & Learning.
"During the UTP I learned that everyone has their own way of learning and that it is important, as a teacher, to accommodate these different learning styles, even if they are very different from your own. I also learned that you can show yourself, also from your role as a teacher, and that you can encourage students to do the same.
As a result of the programme, I am not just focused on the content of my lessons anymore, but also on creating a positive learning climate. A learning climate in which students (hopefully) feel comfortable enough to actively participate in the lessons and dare to make mistakes. I also try to offer active forms of teaching. In addition, I actively focus on the atmosphere by mentioning it in both the first meeting as well as during mid-term evaluations.
To future participants of the UTP, I want to emphasize the importance of planning the various UTP activities well. It will still be a lot of work, but it's definitely doable!"
Read more about the University Training Programme (UTP) at the Centre for Teaching & Learning.
